Heathens
by Indigo Callahan
Summary: The Avatar is well known in the four Nations―known to be the only person to restore peace and balance to the world. Then there's the Avatar's Guardian, a chosen person who's to accompany the Avatar on their journey, to teach them and protect them. But after a hundred years and the Avatar finally resurfaces, how accepting will Aang be after finding out his Guardian is a Firebender?
1. Chapter 1

"Piper, why aren't you in bed?"

It was well into the middle of the night, and Piper couldn't find it in her to actually go to sleep. Every time she did, she'd be overwhelmed by the dream. For the past week and a half, Piper had been experiencing the same dream every night. Two glowing eyes, the sensation that her body was being frozen solid, and then an _unbelievable_ amount of power would wash over her. Each night the dream became progressively more intense, so intense Piper couldn't bring herself to go to sleep.

Looking over her shoulder, Piper saw her mother, Rei, standing behind her at the front of their house, Piper felt a feeling wash over her.

"I couldn't sleep," she sighed.

Kneeling down beside her daughter, Rei looked at Piper with a solemn frown. Rei noticed how tired and distanced her daughter had become. It was hard _not_ to. Piper always had a sense of liveliness to her, and it burned as brightly as the sun.

"Is it because of all the training you've been doing?" Rei asked, brushing some of her daughter's auburn hair away from her face. Piper was the only one in her immediate family to be a Firebender, something she took great pride in. She practiced with the few Firebending cousins she had, learning from them and developing her own bending techniques.

Piper shook her head.

Rei's face fell a little. "You know I worry about you," she murmured, wrapping an arm around Piper's shoulders, bringing her close to her side. "I've seen how exhausted you've gotten over this past week; if there's anything you need to tell me―anything at all―just tell me, OK?"

Looking over at her mother, Piper tried for a smile, but it couldn't quite reach her eyes.

-0-0-0-0-

By the time the next morning rolled around, Piper had only gotten about two and a half hours of sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she'd start to see that familiar white glow behind her eyelids, feeling that cold sensation in her veins. She had to wake up, to get out of there. For those moments where she wasn't drifting off into sleep, she was laying in her bed, staring exhaustedly at the ceiling.

 _Maybe you can get some special medicine to make the sleeping easier,_ she thought. _It couldn't hurt, right?_

Sitting up in her bed, Piper lazily rubbed her eyes, as if that would help wipe away the exhaustion she felt. Sighing, she looked at her window, seeing the sun rising high in the sky. Sighing, Piper rubbed her eyes again.

Getting out of her bed, Piper walked out of her room.

"Piper, you're up!" Rei smiled at her daughter, though Piper could still see a hint of worry in her eyes. "I was wondering if you'd be able to get a few things for me."

"Like what?"

"Some food," Rei sighed, "and if you have enough leftover, some medicine. Your grandmother's ill again."

Piper felt her chest constrict at that. Her grandmother's health had been steadily declining for some time, and though she showed signs of getting better, it was obvious that she wasn't.

Nodding wordlessly, Piper quickly went back into her bedroom and changed into more appropriate attire―a faded red, one-strapped top with a long red and black skirt. Pulling some of her auburn hair into a ponytail, Piper finished getting ready before going back to meet her mother.

"This should be enough for you to get food and medicine." Rei tried for a smile, but it didn't look genuine. "Be safe."

-0-0-0-0-

Piper had her arms crossed over her chest as she walked through the streets of her colony. Piper had been born and raised in a Fire Nation colony in one of the far regions of the Earth Kingdom. Unlike most other colonies―which were rich with Fire Nation culture, relatively wealthy, and had patriotism for the War―Piper's colony was a little less than that. Those who lived in the colony but were originally from the Fire Nation still showed their support to their home, but as far as culture and wealth was concerned, there was hardly any. It was pretty much a slum, with poverty and homelessness being an everyday occurrence.

Piper's family was struggling to get by. Her father, Yuri, died a year after the birth of her sister, Imani. After Yuri's death, Rei struggled to keep up with the finances, raising two children alone, and helping with family members. And when Piper's grandmother, Loa, fell ill, it put an even bigger strain on Rei. Piper offered to go get a job, but Rei wouldn't allow it―there was a part of Rei that was too proud to admit she needed help, despite the willingness of everyone around her to lend a hand.

Piper sighed.

 _She's doing the best she can,_ she thought solemnly. _There's no doubt things would be a little easier if Dad were still alive, but..._

Stopping for a moment, Piper felt her thoughts trail off. There was something wrong, she could feel it. Her gray eyes darted to everyone around her; they didn't look at all bothered. At least, not any more than usual. The feeling started off dull, in the back of her skull, like an ache in its beginning form. Blinking a few times, Piper scrunched her nose a little, trying to understand what was happening. But before that could even happen, the dull sensation exploded into a type of pain she hadn't felt before and everything after that seemed like a blur.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone, sorry for the delay. Hopefully this first chapter was decent. This is my first ATLA story, so please be patient with me. It's also been a long time since I've watched the original series―it's probably a little obvious in this chapter** **―but I'm willing to hear whatever constructive criticism you guys have.**

 **Nothing in the ATLA universe belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the coffee I drink.**

 **In case there's any confusion on Piper's character, here's a little explanation: she has a younger sister named Imani, who'll be looked into more in future updates; Piper's and Imani's father, Yuri, is dead; their mother is struggling to raise her kids and financially support her family; Piper lives in a poor Fire Nation colony in the far reaches of the Earth Kingdom; Piper is a Firebender, her mother and sister are not; there'll be a few moments in future updates where Piper's father will be looked into; Piper has been having trouble for the past week and a half with weird dreams she can't seem to understand. Piper also has auburn hair and gray eyes. As for her age, it'll be mentioned in future updates, I promise.**

 **Hopefully that answers any questions some of you might have.**

 **Since this is my first ATLA story, I'm all for any help from you, the reviewers. Any constructive criticism you have is important!**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	2. Chapter 2

_Can you hear me?_ Piper swore she heard a distant voice, but it sounded fuzzy; it was hard to focus on it. She _swore_ she heard another voice, too; one that was far too distant for her to make out, saying something to the other voice. _Piper, can you open your eyes for me?_ Feeling her face contort into a slight grimace, Piper tried opening her eyes, but her eyelids felt heavy. The far-too-distant voice said something else. _C'mon, Piper, please wake-up._ Letting out a noise that sounded like a combination of a whine and a groan, Piper's heavy eyelids managed to open, thought it was a struggle to do so. Slowly blinking a couple times, Piper looked around, trying to understand where she was.

"Piper, are you OK?" Rei's head popped into Piper's line of vision, making the young girl's brows furrow in slight confusion.

"Why wouldn' I be OK?" she slurred. A grimace came across her face. She tried clearing her throat, but it felt too dry.

"A bunch of people saw you pass out in the street," Imani exclaimed, jumping into Piper's vision. "Old Man Rhen said you looked as pale as death."

Rei shot her youngest daughter a heated look. "The important thing is you're safe," she said, placing a comforting hand on Piper's shoulder. "Your cousin, Kaia, got Dr. Chen to come check on you. She said you were burning up, more than usual that is." Rei's hand gently squeezed Piper's shoulder. As a Firebender, Piper's body temperature was a little higher than normal, a natural thing amongst Firebenders.

"But I'm OK, right?" Piper asked, blinking back the bleariness in her eyes. Rei and Imani shared a look, one that Piper didn't like in the slightest. "What?"

"All that Dr. Chen said was that you had a slight fever," Rei said slowly. "But she also said that she was going to have to contact the Capital, to get in touch with the Fire Sages."

Piper's brows furrowed, her mouth opening slightly, but no words came out. The _Fire Sages_? Why would _they_ need to get involved? Fainting spells happened all the time, what was so different about Piper's?

"I don't understand." Piper looked between her mother and sister anxiously. "What does me passing out have to do with the Fire Sages?"

Rei looked over at Imani, the two of them having some kind of silent conversation, before Imani let out a sigh and walked out. "Dr. Chen believes that what happened to you may be...something more than just a typical fainting spell," Rei said hesitantly.

Slowly sitting up, Piper felt a wave of dizziness before it slowly went away, then she realized she was in her bedroom. Rei quickly tried to help Piper, but Piper wouldn't accept it.

"Can you stop being so vague!" Piper snapped. "I don't understand what's going on; what aren't you telling me?"

Rei let out a defeated sigh. "I don't entirely know either," she said solemnly. "But it looks like it's important enough for the Sages to be involved." Piper swallowed thickly, trying to push down the overwhelming feelings that were rising inside her. "I'd say the Sages will be here in at least a week, maybe longer."

-0-0-0-0-

Piper wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. After her fainting spell, Piper felt...different. It was difficult to explain, but Piper felt as if she were supposed to be doing something, going _some_ where. Her home―that Fire Nation colony she was born and raised in―just didn't feel enough for her anymore. But the one thing that stood out the most since the fainting episode was that Piper could actually _sleep_ at night. Those dreams about the glowing eyes and that terrible freezing feeling went away, but whether or not she was actually dreaming, she couldn't remember.

 _I'd take not remembering a dream than the freezing one any day,_ she'd think, mentally reassuring herself that things were probably looking up.

But that feeling still couldn't explain Piper's sudden need to change. Sighing, Piper tucked some of her auburn hair behind her ear. It had only been three days since the episode, and everything that happened afterward felt...tedious. Episodic. Piper couldn't understand how she hadn't seen it sooner.

"Hey, Piper!" Turning, Piper saw her cousin, Kaia jogging toward her. Despite Rei's objections, Piper decided she needed some fresh air. Dr. Chen said that it was OK for Piper to at least get some fresh air once she had enough strength, and after a day, Piper had enough to go walk for a little while outside.

"What is it?" she asked, watching curiously as Kaia came to a skidding halt in front of her. Piper's cousin was only a year and a half older than her and one of the few Firebending cousins she had. All of Piper's family had lived in the Earth Kingdom colony, born and raised. Her grandmother, Loa, was the only one originally from the Fire Nation. Piper saw Kaia pull some of her dark brown hair out of her face, her amber eyes wide and almost wild.

"Have you heard?" Kaia exclaimed, bouncing a little where she stood.

"Heard _what_?" Piper exclaimed. "I have _no_ idea what you're talking about!"

"The Avatar's returned." Kaia bounced on the balls of her feet, looking at Piper expectantly.

Piper's eyes widened. _The Avatar?!_ she thought weakly. _But...the Avatar hasn't been seen in a hundred years...How...?_

"From what I've heard," Kaia whispered, leaning in a little to make it easier for Piper to hear, "the Avatar was found in the South Pole, with the Water Tribe people."

Piper felt one of her hands rise up to cover her mouth, the other one pressing against her chest. _Oh spirits...,_ she thought.

"A hundred years, and the Avatar's actually back," Piper murmured.

Kaia frowned a little, taking in her cousin's expression. Those of the Fire Nation―whether they be from the colonies or not―were starting to panic. A hundred years had gone by, and so much had changed in that time―the genocide of the Air Nomads (when Fire Lord Sozin was alive, he knew the next incarnation of the Avatar would be an Air Nomad, so he had them all slaughtered); the Fire Nation's invasion of the other nations; the Hundred Year War... In all that time, there was no one to stop the fighting or the killing. It was just the world against the Fire Nation. So when Kaia looked at Piper, she didn't see fear or panic on her cousin's face; she saw a glimmer of what looked like... _hope_. But a word like that didn't seem entirely right, it _almost_ looked like hope.

"Piper, are you OK?" Kaia asked slowly, frowning deeply.

Looking at her cousin with a look of confusion on her face, Piper nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked.

"It's just...," she started. "Never mind, it's nothing. I should probably go."

-0-0-0-0-

By the end of the day, Piper was back home having supper with Rei and Imani. They weren't saying much, much to Piper's displeasure. Normally there was _always_ something to talk about.

"I visited Gran today," Piper said, hoping to start up some kind of conversation. "Aunt Winn was with her." Rei murmured something too soft―or too unintelligible, Piper couldn't quite decide―to be heard. Imani continued eating without a sound. "Gran's looking better. Aunt Winn managed to get some medicinal herbs for her. I think Gran'll be better in no time."

When neither of them made a sound, Piper let out a sigh and continued eating, giving up.

After dinner, Rei told Imani to go wash up before heading off to bed. When Piper went to wash up, she paused for a moment, looking over at her mother.

"Mom?" she said hesitantly. Rei, who'd been cleaning, paused from her task for a moment before continuing without so much as a sound. "You heard about the Avatar, right?"

"Everyone's heard, dear," Rei murmured, her voice sounding tired.

"You're upset." It wasn't a question so much as a statement.

"If you mean by the Avatar, yes, a little." Rei turned and looked at her eldest daughter with exhausted gray eyes and an equally exhausted frown. "But..."

"But what?" Piper's brows furrowed a little.

"When the Sages come, I'm afraid of what they'll say."

"I still don't understand why they need to come here," Piper grumbled. "What's so important about a fainting spell? If they want to see me so badly, why don't they send me to the Capital?"

Rei studied her daughter in silence for a moment, not answering any of Piper's questions. With a slightly defeated sigh, Rei wordlessly turned and finished her cleaning.

She could only hope.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter; let me know what you think!**

 **Nothing in ATLA is mine. All I own are my characters and the socks on my feet.**

 **In case there's any confusion in this chapter: Piper is going through some sort of transformation, nothing major right now; at this point, Aang's already gone back to his native Air Temple and found out about the Fire Nation's invasion there, and about Gyatso's murder; the Fire Nation's having a bit of a panic about the Avatar being alive; Piper's cousin, Kaia, found Piper's reaction of the Avatar being alive a bit strange, since most of the Fire Nation is not taking it well; Piper's fainting spell in the last chapter happened the same time Katara freed Aang from the iceberg; something's going on with Piper and the Fire Sages have been contacted to investigate. Hopefully that makes sense.**

 **If you've got any ideas on what could happen in this story, don't hesitate to let me know. If you've got subplots or OCs you'd like written into this story, don't hesitate to review or PM me.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	3. Chapter 3

Time seemed to drawl on without much happening. Piper tried going on with a normal routine, hoping she looked somewhat convincing. After the news of the Avatar's resurfacing, Piper seemed to intensify in her Firebending training, she couldn't understand _why_ , though. It was like she was preparing herself for something.

What Piper hadn't realized was that Kaia had noticed the increase in her Firebending training. Kaia had been keeping a close eye on Piper, still feeling a little unsure about Piper's reaction to the Avatar's return.

Piper remained unaware of her cousin's worry and observing.

-0-0-0-0-

A week had soon gone by and when Piper realized it, she felt her stomach churning anxiously. She'd noticed the looks Rei and Imani were giving her; it made Piper feel even _more_ anxious. Piper tried keeping herself occupied, keeping herself distracted so she wouldn't _have_ to notice the looks her mother and sister were giving her! She didn't want to feel like the odd man out, like she was being singled out.

Piper tried telling her mother that she was going to go practice her Firebending, but Rei wouldn't have it. She wanted Piper to stay in the house.

"But I _need_ to practice," Piper exclaimed, looking at her mother pleadingly. "Mom, please!"

"No." Rei put her hands on her hips, standing between Piper and the door. "The Sages might be coming today, I don't want to hunt you down."

"Well, I don't want to see the Sages!" Piper exclaimed defiantly. "You're all blowing this out of proportion."

Rei let out a slightly defeated sigh. "Piper, this is important," she said exhaustedly. "Dr. Chen wouldn't have contacted them if it wasn't."

"Dr. _Chen_ can't seem to handle an ordinary fainting spell." Piper's heated look went to the ground.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Rei let out another sigh. "Please stop being so difficult," she said, looking at Piper. "There's nothing about this that's being 'blown out of proportion', and Dr. Chen knows what's good for you."

 _When someone's telling you that they're contacting the Fire Sages over a fainting spell, come back to me and talk about how much sense it's making._

Piper wouldn't meet her mother's gaze. She didn't want to. Nothing was making an _ounce_ of sense and it was getting Piper irritable. She'd been able to distract herself for the most part, but when the days started getting closer for the Fire Sage's arrival, Piper became aware of her family's attention going to her.

A heavy knock on the front door caused Piper and Rei to jump. Imani, who'd been in her room for most of the day, poked her head out of her room, looking at the front door worriedly.

Piper crossed her arms over her chest, hoping the ground would open up and eat her.

Despite the apologetic look that came across Rei's face, she opened the front door, greeted with the faces of the Fire Sages. Bowing slightly, Rei stepped aside to allow them into her home.

"You must be Piper," one of them murmured. Piper's gray eyes went to them, the heatedness in her stare unwavering. As Piper studied the older men who'd surrounded her, she felt a knot of dread fill her. The Sage who spoke turned and looked at Rei expectantly. "Tell me, what happened?"

Rei's eyes flickered to her daughter before regarding the Sage. "I sent her to go get some items from the market, then she fainted." Rei's voice trembled slightly, intimidated.

"The doctor who contacted us said that she felt it was _more_ than an ordinary fainting spell." The Sage turned to face Rei head-on.

"I-I wasn't entirely sure why she would've said that," Rei stammered, "until I found out about the Avatar's return."

The Sages looked at each other silently, as if having some sort of unspoken conversation.

"Piper," one of the Sages said, looking at her with slightly narrowed eyes. "How much do you know about the Avatar?"

Narrowing her eyes, Piper looked at them carefully before answering. "Only the Avatar can learn all four elements," she said, "and is reincarnated into a new Nation after their death. The Avatar restores peace and balance to the world."

The Sages shared another look.

"Have you ever heard of the Avatar's Guardian, Piper?" another asked.

"Guardian?" Piper's brows narrowed in confusion. "What?"

"The Avatar's Guardian is a person born to a different Nation than the Avatar itself," the Sage who'd asked the earlier questions said. "Avatar Roku had a Guardian from the Earth Kingdom."

"I don't understand...," Piper exclaimed.

"The Guardian has a sole duty to their Avatar." One of the Sages stepped forward, looking at Piper closely. "The Guardian is their Avatar's teacher and protector. And like the Avatar, the Guardian has their own reincarnation cycle; though it has no pattern like the Avatar's."

Piper let out a disbelieving scoff. "You think I'm this _Guardian_?" she exclaimed.

"The Avatar and the Guardian have a spiritual connection," the Sage closest to her explained. "We haven't had an Avatar in a hundred years, and after finding out he's alive after all these years, _you_ , Piper, lose consciousness."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Piper looked at the Sages before looking at her mother. Rei was as pale as a ghost, her hands over her mouth. Piper's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Piper." The Sage closer to her put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll need you to come with us to the Capital."

"What?" Piper squeaked.

"The Fire Lord has already been told of the Avatar, he'll need to know about you."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Hopefully this made sense! Sorry if it didn't. Also, I am so sorry it took so long to post this chapter, I've been having trouble concentrating and focusing on what I wanted to write. I might have a bit of writer's block―I'm writing four other stories plus this one** **―so that could be why. I don't know.**

 **Nothing in the ATLA universe belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the bed I sleep on.**

 **So, the Fire Sages told Piper about the Avatar's Guardian, they want her to go with them to see Ozai, Piper's having a bit of a crisis, etc., etc., etc. What do you think should happen? If you've got an idea on what could or should happen to Piper, leave a review or PM me! I'm all for your ideas and/or suggestions.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	4. Chapter 4

Piper felt as if her heart had dropped into her stomach. The _Fire_ _Lord_?! It was one thing being told something you've never heard of before, but having to go to the Capital because of it? That couldn't be possible.

Crossing her arms over her chest almost defensively, Piper looked at the Sages with narrowing eyes. Having them tell her she's something she's never heard of confused her, which in turn got her a bit peeved. Everyone knew about the Avatar—it'd be weird meeting someone who _hasn't_ —but that... _Guardian_ crap they were spewing out? Piper couldn't understand it.

"What makes you think I'm going to the Capital?" she snapped defensively.

"Because you're the Guardian," the Sage closest to her exclaimed, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Giving a slight scoff, Piper pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't believe it," she exclaimed. "You can't honestly believe that's true. You haven't given me any kind of proof."

"The Guardian can't be so easily picked out as the Avatar can," one of the other Sages explained. "With the Avatar, it's whatever _items_ they pick out, showing everyone they're still connected to their past lives. The Guardian could be anyone. There are no items for them to choose from, and since the Guardian's reincarnation cycle is so random, it's difficult to tell where they'll end up next."

"There have been instances where the Avatar's Guardian was reincarnated twice in the Water Tribes," the Sage closer to Piper said, "then was reborn into the Air Temples, then back to the Water Tribes, then the Earth Kingdom..."

"There is one thing that was very obvious," another Sage added, "was that the Guardian was not only a bender, but one who was dedicated to strengthening their element."

"Strengthening?" Piper squeaked.

"They'd practice relentlessly." Another Sage approached her. "Yes, benders tend to practice frequently in hopes of becoming a Master, or maybe in hopes that they don't get out of practice, but the Avatar's Guardian practices twice the amount of time as any other bender out there. They need to be the best there is if they're going to travel with the Avatar. They have to face whatever troubles are happening without being taken down before the battle even began."

"So you just find whoever's practicing the hardest and take them?" Piper snapped. "What if they weren't the Guardian? What if you took some random person and they risked their life, maybe even _died_ , because they believed they were something they weren't?"

"Typically, the Guardian would meet their Avatar before starting their journey," another Sage said. "The spiritual connection between the two isn't established until they meet face-to-face."

"That's another way to determine if someone's the Guardian."

Piper buried her face in her hands. "This isn't possible," she mumbled. "The Avatar could be _anywhere_. There's no telling if I'm supposed to this Guardian—yeah, I want to do better in my Firebending, but that doesn't mean I'm going to risk my life for someone I don't even know."

"The Avatar now is supposed to be the last Airbender," one of the Sages closer to her said. "Anyone born to the Air Nomads were destined to be Airbenders, and if I am correct, Airbenders were the most spiritually advanced people."

"Uhm, s-sorry to interrupt." Rei took a hesitant step forward, looking between the Fire Sages anxiously. "W-Would it be possible if I spoke to my daughter privately?"

The Sages looked at each other, having a silent conversation before leaving, stating they'd be waiting outside.

Rei waited until they were gone before quietly shutting the door behind them. Looking at Piper, Rei swallowed thickly. "Piper, I know this doesn't make any sense," she whispered.

"No it doesn't," Piper hissed. "They can't be serious! I'm not someone's Guardian! They've been spewing out nonsense since they came here."

Rei's face hardened slightly. "Why don't you think over what they've been telling you?" she suggested.

"What, that I'm some reborn protector of the Avatar?" Piper spat. "The Avatar hasn't been seen in a hundred years. No one's _ever_ mentioned this Guardian stuff until the Avatar returned. I am not buying it."

"Piper...," Rei started.

"No." Piper shook her head. "I cannot believe this. And they want to take me to see the _Fire Lord_? For something they can't give actual _proof_ of?" Piper ran a hand through her hair. "They're actually thinking I'll buy all this nonsense," she mumbled. "They only pick out someone who's practicing their bending harder than anyone else? There are other people out there who do that! It could honestly be _anyone_!"

"I know, Piper." Rei buried her face in her hands. "I know this doesn't make sense, I don't know what to think either."

"Maybe ask the Fire Sages to think it over?" Rei and Piper turned and saw Imani standing there, looking anxious and frightened. "They can't just drag you to the Capital, can they?"

Piper and Rei shared a look.

"I don't think so," Piper said. "Not without hard proof. I'd imagine the Fire Lord wouldn't be too pleased if they brought back the wrong person."

But, the way Piper saw it, she still couldn't understand why the Fire Lord would need to see her.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone! Sorry for this chapter's delay. I just got back from vacation not too long ago, so if this chapter is, by any chance, confusing and/or makes no sense, I'll try and do a quick little explanation on it. Sorry about that.**

 **I own nothing in the ATLA universe. All I own are my characters and the tan I got from my vacation.**

 **Explanation time: the Guardian's reincarnation cycle is randomized, unlike the Avatar's; the Guardian is known to be harder to find than the Avatar; the Avatar and their Guardian have a spiritual connection, which forms when they officially meet; the Guardian needs to be very experienced in their bending in order to help the Avatar on their journey, so the Guardian trains twice as hard to become stronger. I don't know if that makes any sense. Maybe it cleared the chapter up a little? I don't know.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	5. Chapter 5

Rei had to _really_ convince the Fire Sages that she couldn't allow Piper to go to the Capital with them, but even though they agreed, they told Rei they'd be back in three days' time to take Piper to the Capital without argument.

"The Fire Lord will not be pleased with this," one of the Sages said, before they all left, "but you will have three days to get your things together."

Piper sat in her bedroom, her knees drawn to her chest, her chin resting atop of her knees. She had been in her room for the majority of the day since the Sage's departure.

 _They can't seriously expect me to do this, can they?_ she thought, feeling a bubble of worry form in the pit of her stomach. _But it is the Fire Lord...if he wants to see you, you can't say no._

Piper pursed her lips.

 _But all that talk about guarding the Avatar? That's a load of nonsense! I cannot be the person they think I am._ Sighing, Piper let her legs down and sat up, leaving her room.

She needed to think.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Rei had tried convincing Piper not to leave, so did Imani, but Piper couldn't stay in her house any longer. She needed fresh air and she needed it immediately!

When Piper walked the streets of the colony, her eyes darted to every person she walked by—women and their children; the homeless; merchants trying to sell their product; dirtied children playing in the roads; the elderly trying to make the most of their days. It made Piper's stomach knot up, seeing how the other colonists lived. It wasn't right, not at all.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Piper tried finding something else to distract herself. But every time she tried finding _some_ thing to keep herself occupied, she'd end up thinking about what the Fire Sages had been talking about.

That whole... _Guardian_ thing...how was she supposed to _really_ know it was her? Was she expected to go on some sort of spiritual journey? Have some sort of realization that she was, indeed, connected to the Avatar somehow? It didn't make any sense to her. There was enough of a controversy going on about the Avatar's resurfacing...

Sighing, Piper pinched the bridge of her nose and tried pushing down that overwhelming feeling of panic and uncertainty that had been bubbling inside her since the whole ordeal started.

 _I've never even heard of the whole Guardian thing,_ she thought. _Everyone knows who the Avatar is, but why haven't they mentioned this one?_

Pursing her lips, Piper slowed her walking just a fraction to think it over. Since her colony didn't have the best financial support, the school that was built was nearly always unoccupied, though there were rare occasions that classes would be held there. Piper attended a few, out of curiosity mostly, not out of any need to get an education. From what little she learned, there was no mention of a Guardian protecting the Avatar. She shook her head.

To the Fire Sages, Piper had three days to get her things in order.

For her, she had three days to figure out how she was going to get out of her situation.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

News spread quickly in the colony. Kaia had figured out about the Fire Sages arriving to her cousin's house _minutes_ after the colony doctor left Piper's house. Kaia found that a bit odd, the Fire Sages coming to visit. From what she understood, Piper just had a fainting spell, but that also occurred the time the Avatar resurfaced, so there _must've_ been some kind of connection, right? Not to mention Piper took the news of the Avatar's resurfacing a bit too positively, considering the Fire Nation was faced with a possible threat.

"I'm sure Piper's fainting spell has nothing to do with the Avatar." Kaia's mother, Leigh, had tried reassuring her on several occasions that it would be impossible for her cousin to have any kind of connection to the Avatar, but Kaia wouldn't believe it.

"She didn't take the news as anything concerning," Kaia had exclaimed. "She seemed almost _happy_."

Leigh looked at her daughter with an almost disbelieving look on her face. "Kaia, everyone's taking the news differently," she said. "Piper couldn't have been happy. Not when there's a risk to the Fire Nation."

Kaia's lips pursed, her dark amber-colored eyes flaring.

So, the day the Fire Sages arrived and left Piper's home, Kaia watched as her cousin walked around the colony, looking conflicted. No-one dared try and eavesdrop on what was going on in Piper's home, they were more terrified of the Fire Sages catching them more than anything else.

The troubled look on Piper's face, however, made Kaia wonder just what happened between her and the Sages. Was it bad?

 _It must've been,_ she thought, biting her bottom lip anxiously. _I haven't seen her this upset over something in a long time._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, I know, this chapter took _way_ too long to put up, but I not only got sidetracked by responsibilities, but was hit with a  major case of writer's block. It's probably obvious on how poorly-written this chapter is. But hopefully, to whoever reads this story, someone finds a little bit of enjoyment in this chapter.**

 **I own nothing in the ATLA franchise. All I own are my characters and the writer's block I'm experiencing.**

 **If you've got ideas on subplots, leave a review or PM me. If you have an OC you'd like to see written into the story, leave a review or PM me. I think it's important for anyone who's got ideas on something to let me know so I can incorporate it. Even if it's just constructive criticism, it's important.**

 **Anyway, let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	6. Chapter 6

It was that night, when Piper was in bed, that she started to think of some _really_ stupid thoughts. That day, she was thinking of some way to avoid going to the Capital with the Fire Sages, she didn't _want_ to go. All the talk about the Avatar and Guardians made her mind spin in a whirlwind of uncertainty and confusion. She'd tried understanding what the Fire Sages meant by what they said, but she knew it wouldn't do her any good. No matter how badly she tried understanding, she couldn't. That was when something crossed her mind.

What if she ran away? It felt like a logical solution! If Piper left the colony, she'd be able to find everything she needed to know on her own. Maybe if she travelled to other places, she'd find someone who had some knowledge on the whole Guardian business.

Then she scolded herself for thinking of something so stupid. Running away? What would happen to her family? How angry would the Fire Lord get? She had to keep those questions in mind—her family was vulnerable, they couldn't defend herself like she could. Piper was the only Firebender in her immediate family!

 _But the Fire Lord's soldiers are far stronger than you'll ever be._

That little voice in her head said that over and over again, and Piper couldn't help but agree. Sure, she practiced from time to time, but she wasn't too skilled when it came to her Firebending. The Fire Lord's army consisted of what he considered to be strong Firebenders.

The guilt came shortly after.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Piper had been arguing with herself for hours before her mind came to a decision. She had hesitated, scolded herself, got herself irritated, tried convincing herself she made the wrong choice, before she _finally_ _made_ a choice. She was going to stay, for now. She needed to prepare. For the two days she had, the ones where she'd probably have a little more freedom, Piper was going to gather as many personal belongings she saw fit before running away the night leading into the day the Fire Sages would come back. She'd find a way to make sure her family was protected, just in case soldiers _did_ come by. She wanted her mother and Imani to be protected at all costs. Not to mention her grandmother, who was sickly.

Sighing, Piper ran a hand through her hair. She was still working out the protection part.

 _You've got the right idea,_ she thought tiredly. _Give yourself a little more time to think it over before you do anything too idiotic._

That thought made Piper roll her eyes. Her whole plan to run was idiotic. There'd be no doubt in her mind they might hire someone to hunt her down. Part of Piper didn't believe they'd do something so dramatic, but there was somehow a possibility that Piper was supposed to be a protector of the Avatar, so she wasn't sure how it could get any more dramatic than _that_.

Rolling onto her side—since she was still in bed—Piper frowned deeply. _Protect the Avatar_... That had to be the most _ridiculous_ thing she'd ever heard. Growing up in what was probably the most poverty-ridden colonies in the Fire Nation, and somehow Piper was destined to become the world's most _powerful_ person's bodyguard. How did something like that happen?

 _Just pass out, that seems to work just fine._

Piper let out an unladylike snort at that.

Letting out another sigh, she rolled onto her back, one arm draped over her eyes. Given she could sleep easier since those weird dreams disappeared, but Piper still found it difficult to do so. She wanted to find out more about what was going on, but she also didn't.

 _The only way you're ever going to figure anything out is if you leave,_ she thought distractedly. _Staying here, or in the Capital, isn't going to provide you the answers you need. The Sages weren't very helpful, and certainly the Fire Lord won't be any help, either. You're better off figuring everything out on your own._

 **-0-0-0-0-**

By the time morning rolled around, she was feeling more exhausted than the day before. She knew she didn't get a lot of sleep, but it didn't feel like her exhaustion was connected to that. The exhaustion felt deeper, and it made her feel terrible. Piper wanted nothing more than to stay in bed all day, but she had things she needed to get done and she had to get them done immediately.

"You're going out?" Imani was in the small eating area, looking at her older sister anxiously.

"I've got a few errands to run." Piper had gotten dressed, cleaning herself up as she did so. "I'll be back later tonight."

"You shouldn't be out late," Imani exclaimed. "What if something happens?"

"I'll be fine." Piper waved off her sister's concern. "Is Mom still here?"

"She's at Aunt Winn's."

Winn was the eldest sister of Piper's and Imani's father. She was a stern woman who didn't take kindly to those who didn't obey her commands. It had been obvious that Winn had been unhappy when she, Yuri (Piper's and Imani's father), and Loa (their grandmother) had moved to a newly-developed Fire Nation colony in the Earth Kingdom.

"My mother had made a very impulsive choice," she'd say, her voice laced with frustration, "the day she packed us up to come here. 'It's to show support for the War'; that's what she called it. I never found the Earth Kingdom all that important anyway. It's a hideous place."

Loa had been a very strong supporter of the War, giving everything she had to show her pride for her nation. Winn and Yuri didn't share her passion as intensely.

"When she gets back, tell her what I'm doing."

A look swept across Imani's face. "I'm not getting in trouble for you," she exclaimed.

"I never said you were getting in trouble," Piper exclaimed. "I'm just asking you to tell Mom what I'm doing when she gets back."

Imani studied Piper's face for a long moment before agreeing.

"Thank you." Piper tried for a smile. "I won't be long."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry it took so long to put this chapter up, but I got sidetracked by responsibilities. I started school again at the beginning of the week, and then I had work, so I have been trying my best here.**

 **I own nothing in the ATLA universe. All I own are my characters and the expensive textbooks I need for the classes I'm taking.**

 **Do you have an OC you'd like to see added into the story? Do you have a subplot you'd like to see added in, too?! Then leave a review or PM me! I love seeing all the creativeness you guys have. Be sure to do that, only if you're interested, though.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


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